Solihull Roadworks: A45 Airport Junction Works to 2028

Solihull’s traffic runs on a handful of corridors: the M42 down the eastern flank, the A45 Coventry Road past the airport, the A34 Stratford Road through Shirley and the A41 through the town centre. When one of them is dug up, the whole borough feels it. Here is what is actually being dug up now, verified against the council’s own traffic orders, and the standing information that stays useful between updates.

The big one: A45 Damson Parkway junction, August 2026 to 2028

The council’s junction upgrade at A45 Coventry Road / Damson Parkway, the turn for Birmingham Airport’s Terminal Road and the JLR logistics centre, begins on 8 August 2026 and the traffic order covering it runs until 7 February 2028, or earlier if the works finish sooner (traffic regulation order TR160, Solihull Council).

What the order allows, phase by phase and only when signed on site:

• A 30mph limit on the A45 both ways from the Birmingham boundary to the existing 50mph limit east of the junction, and 30mph on Damson Parkway down to the JLR logistics centre access.
• Phased closures of sections of the A45 around the junction, of Terminal Road for its entire length, and of Damson Parkway southbound between the A45 and the slip road, plus a ban on the right turn from Damson Parkway onto the A45.

The reassurance in the notice is worth quoting: “Full closures will be in place overnight or weekends only”, with diversions signed per phase. If your airport run uses Damson Parkway, build in slack from now until well into 2027, or approach from the M42 side. Questions go to damsonparkway@solihull.gov.uk.

Also on the ground this month

From the council’s traffic regulation orders list (August to September 2026):

• Solihull Half Marathon, Sunday 9 August: town-centre road closures for the morning.
• Blossomfield Road: closures for cycle-lane works, 20 July to 18 September.
• Dove House Lane: closed 3 to 28 August; Widney Manor Road: 26 to 28 August.
• In the north: Bosworth Drive, Fordbridge (26 to 28 August), Coleshill Heath Road, Chelmsley Wood (25 to 26 August), Green Lane, Castle Bromwich (12 to 14 August).
• Around Olton: Marsham Court Road (11 to 13 August), Richmond Road (11 to 14 August).
• Villages: one-day closures through mid-August on Barston Lane, Netherwood Lane, Spencers Lane (Berkswell), Mill Pool Lane and Windmill Lane (Dorridge) and the Meriden lanes; Kenilworth Road, Knowle closes 9 to 15 September and Alderminster Road 2 to 20 September.
• Two long-running temporary speed limits sit on Kenilworth Road, Balsall Common (to 24 August 2027) and Waste Lane, Balsall Common (to 29 March 2027).

M42 Junction 6: nearly done

National Highways’ £282 million M42 Junction 6 scheme has delivered its big pieces: the new Junction 5a south of the airport junction, the 2.4km A4545 dual-carriageway link to Clock Interchange (open to traffic since December 2024), two new roundabouts off the B4102 and a pedestrian and cycle bridge over the A45. The scheme page’s latest update (13 April 2026) describes finishing works with overnight lane and slip road closures, 9pm to 5am, as traffic management is lifted between junctions 5 and 6 (National Highways). Treat it as substantially complete rather than finished; check the scheme page before relying on a slip road late at night.

The HS2 building site on the border

The other permanent works presence is HS2’s Interchange station, rising on a 150-hectare site “in a triangle of land between the M42, A45 and A452”, with recent work including bridges over the M42 for station access (HS2). The station is designed for up to five high-speed trains per hour each way, with an elevated people mover linking it to the NEC, Birmingham International and the airport. No opening date is given on HS2’s page. What the surrounding Arden Cross development means for the borough is covered in our Solihull planning news.

A tram, for the record, is still a plan and not a project: the East Birmingham to Solihull Metro extension remains at development stage with no construction dates (West Midlands Combined Authority).

Station parking and the sensible workarounds

Parking at most West Midlands rail stations is free; Solihull is one of only four charged station car parks in the network area, per Transport for West Midlands. The practical picture, from the operators’ own station pages:

• Solihull: 446 spaces, £6.00 daily, £3.50 off-peak and weekends, £22.50 weekly (Chiltern Railways).
• Dorridge: 104 spaces, free, open 24 hours (Chiltern Railways).
• Widney Manor: 277 spaces; Olton: 103 spaces (sizes per National Rail; neither page states a charge).

For airport runs during the Damson Parkway works, the rail alternative is often quicker anyway: the X12 bus links Solihull station to Birmingham Airport every 20 minutes (Chiltern Railways), and train times for the wider commute are on our Solihull train times page.

Where to check live conditions

• one.network’s Solihull map is the live roadworks map the council itself points residents to.
• The council’s traffic regulation orders page lists every closure with its legal notice and dates.
• National Highways travel updates covers the M42, M6 and A45 trunk sections.

Frequently asked questions

What are the big roadworks in Solihull right now?

The A45 Coventry Road / Damson Parkway junction upgrade, which started 8 August 2026 under a traffic order running to February 2028, with phased closures (full closures overnight and weekends only) and a 30mph limit on the A45 past the airport. Alongside it: cycle-lane works on Blossomfield Road to 18 September and a rolling list of short local closures.

How long will the A45 Damson Parkway works last?

The council’s traffic order runs from 8 August 2026 until 7 February 2028, “or when works are complete if that is sooner”. Expect restrictions in phases rather than continuously.

Is the M42 Junction 6 scheme finished?

Substantially. The new Junction 5a, the A4545 link road and the new roundabouts are open; National Highways’ most recent update (April 2026) described final finishing works using overnight closures between 9pm and 5am.

Where can I see live road closures in Solihull?

The council directs residents to one.network/uk/solihull for live and planned works, and publishes every legal closure notice on its traffic regulation orders page.

Is there a park and ride in Solihull?

There is no dedicated bus park and ride; the rail network is the park and ride. Most station car parks in the TfWM area are free; in this borough Dorridge (104 spaces) is free while Solihull station charges (£6 daily). Spaces can be pre-booked at some stations via TfWM’s Save-a-Space scheme.

Sources

• Solihull Council TTRO TR160: A45 Coventry Road, Damson Parkway and Terminal Road (notice PDF, 31 July 2026) for the junction works dates, restrictions and closure policy.
• Solihull Council traffic regulation orders for all listed closures and dates, and the council’s roadworks page pointing to the one.network live map.
• National Highways: M42 Junction 6 improvement for the scheme’s scope, cost and April 2026 status.
• HS2: Interchange station for the station site, design and people mover.
• WMCA: East Birmingham to Solihull Metro extension for the tram scheme’s status.
• Transport for West Midlands park and ride, Chiltern Railways Solihull and Dorridge station pages, and National Rail station pages for parking.

Closure dates are as published in the council’s traffic orders on 8 August 2026; orders are amended and works overrun, so check the live map before a journey that depends on one road. We could not verify Birmingham Airport’s own drop-off charges this session; check birminghamairport.co.uk directly.